How Would Watch Dogs-like Hacking Work in Real Life?

A video demonstrates just what would happen if you went Adrian Pearce on a city street.

Just around an unassuming Los Angeles street, a shop is offering to
repair smartphones. When customers go for servicing, the shopkeeper in
addition to repairing the devices, installs a special app - a powerful
software that can hack into almost anything, much like Adrian Pearce
from Watch Dogs.

The end result is a video, below, orchestrated by Ubisoft, which
apparently captures actual customers as the shopkeeper-actor hacks into
cars, street lamps, ATMs and traffic signals with a simple tap on the
phone's screen.

Whether or not the 'customers' are actually genuine or simply paid
actors, the game's fantasy is brought to life in a startling form that
gives a fascinating insight into what could happen if the Watch
Dogs-like technology could be wielded so freely.

Watch Dogs is all set to release
on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One on May 27. For more on the game,
check out our exclusive behind-the-scenes look as we explore if the
hacks shown in Watch Dogs is actually possible in real life. Ubisoft also released a 9min trailer that runs you down through everything the game has to offer.

Earlier in the week, Ubisoft announced that neither the PS4 or Xbox One version will run at 1080p or 60fps.